Assault

Without preconceive notions, let's look at the workouts of 1946 KY Derby winner Assault(Bold Venture - Igual, by Equipoise), trained by Max Hirsch, a friend and contemporary of Preston Burch.

4/20/46: 2d in the Wood Memorial, 1/16 mile in 1:46.3
4/23: 3f in :39
4/27: 8f in 1:42
4/30: 4th in Derby Trial, 1 mile in 1:40.1 Assault probably repeated his 1:42
4/3: 4f in :48
4/4: Won KY Derby in 2:06.3 (so far we have 6 workouts in 14 days. Wow!)
4/8: 3f no time given--looks like a :40
4/9: 8f in 1:45
4/11 Won Preakness
4/16 4f in :52
4/18: 3f in :40
5/20: 4f in :48
(this is 12 workouts, 75 furlongs, in 30 days which includes 3 races).

Last post same approximate time frame in '51 Bold had also done 12 breezes in 30 days, 68 furlongs. Bold's works were generally several ticks faster.

Can Assault keep it up?

Next 30 days for Assault:
5/22: 8f in 1:43.3
5/24: 3f in :35
5/25: 10f in 2:05
5/28: 4f in :50
5/29: 1.5 miles in 2:32
6/1: Won Belmont in 2:30.4

This is 14 works in 30 days, 92 furlongs. There is an increase in total number of furlongs since the last 30 days.

Can Assault keep it up? Trouble is brewing. First they reduce the workout distances:
6/24: 4f in :48
6/29: 3f in :39
6/30: 4f in :50
7/3: 3f in :37
7/7 6f in 1:19 slow time
7/9: 8f in 1:45.2
7/12 8f in 1:47.
here the workout schedules is not kept till August. Assault races on 7/27 and is off on right hind. But the same schedule begins in August. Though they seems to slow most workout times thereafter to 13 second furlongs, Assault keeps up the same frequency to 11/9/46 when he's shipped to Columbia, SC for the winter.

This is truly amazing, and puts into question a lot I'd concluded. The following video provides an explanation:

x
Training:
Fri: 9/13: Rain started at 5 am. 5 pm, its still raining. Nice warm up for Ike, which is headed this way. The horses are off.